Cigna announced results before the market opened, and the beat and upbeat executive comments pushed shares up about 2% early in more than double usual volume.

The company provides managed health care services through HMOs, PPOs and indemnity plans.

Premiums and fees rose 48% to $6.8 billion last year and, although the severe flu season added to costs, its focus on the self-insured market and use of care coordinators kept costs down.

CEO David Cordani said in a statement that "disciplined management of our differentiated businesses continues to drive our growth and positions Cigna well for attractive performance in 2013 and beyond."

Shares were up 2.2% in Thursday afternoon trading.

Cigna stock has ridden up 56% from a July 27 intraday low of 39.01 and was trading at an all-time high. Earlier this month, Cigna paid Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) $2.2 billion to assume roughly $4 billion in obligations pegged to once-troublesome annuities, reducing Cigna's risk.

Among other large insurers, Aetna (AET) dipped 0.2%. The managed health care provider late last month reported a drop in quarterly earnings as higher health care costs offset a rise in membership.

UnitedHealth Group (UNH), the nation's largest health insurer, slid 0.6%. On Jan. 17 the company reported 11% higher sales last month, at $28.77 billion, boosted partly by its purchase of a Brazilian company. That beat projections. EPS rose 3%, a penny above analyst views as it reined in costs.

Cigna announced results before the market opened, and the beat and upbeat executive comments pushed shares up about 2% early in more than double usual volume.

The company provides managed health care services through HMOs, PPOs and indemnity plans.

Premiums and fees rose 48% to $6.8 billion last year and, although the severe flu season added to costs, its focus on the self-insured market and use of care coordinators kept costs down.

CEO David Cordani said in a statement that "disciplined management of our differentiated businesses continues to drive our growth and positions Cigna well for attractive performance in 2013 and beyond."

Shares were up 2.2% in Thursday afternoon trading.

Cigna stock has ridden up 56% from a July 27 intraday low of 39.01 and was trading at an all-time high. Earlier this month, Cigna paid Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) $2.2 billion to assume roughly $4 billion in obligations pegged to once-troublesome annuities, reducing Cigna's risk.

Among other large insurers, Aetna (AET) dipped 0.2%. The managed health care provider late last month reported a drop in quarterly earnings as higher health care costs offset a rise in membership.

UnitedHealth Group (UNH), the nation's largest health insurer, slid 0.6%. On Jan. 17 the company reported 11% higher sales last month, at $28.77 billion, boosted partly by its purchase of a Brazilian company. That beat projections. EPS rose 3%, a penny above analyst views as it reined in costs.

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02/23/2015 04:23 PM ET

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